


A Lunchtime Apology

by brunettebrawler56



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-08
Updated: 2020-04-08
Packaged: 2021-03-02 00:07:28
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 817
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23545873
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/brunettebrawler56/pseuds/brunettebrawler56
Summary: Just a tiny one-shot. After being stood up at Enzo's, Hopper is still angry. Joyce brings a peace offering.
Relationships: Jopper - Relationship, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 1
Kudos: 28





	A Lunchtime Apology

Joyce was a lot of things: attentive, kind, loyal, brave. What she wasn’t, was patient. Hopper had been ignoring her for three days since the “magnet” incident and she was finding it all to be childish. She’d called Hopper five times now. At first, she thought it was possible he’d gone out after their argument, so she wasn’t hurt when he didn’t answer his cabin’s phone. The next day, she left two messages with Flo. Now, the ball was in Hopper’s court, and he wasn’t playing. 

She fumbled the glass casserole dish in her hand as she opened the door to the sheriff’s office. Flo perked up from her desk, adjusting her thick glasses. “Joyce! Thank goodness Jim finally called you back. He’s been in an awful mood today. Maybe you can fix it.”

She didn’t have the heart to tell the older woman that she was most likely the reason and he definitely hadn’t called her back. Flo rounded her desk, “Here, sweetheart. Let me take that for you.”

Joyce clutched the casserole closer to her chest. “Oh, no thanks. I want to deliver it myself.”

She gave a knowing wink, “Of course you do.”

Joyce went to Hopper’s door and paused. The nerves in her stomach caught her off-guard. She’d survived a tough upbringing, an awful marriage, Will and the upside down. But somehow Hopper was always a sensitive spot. She couldn’t stand him being mad at her. Not over such a silly mistake.

She knocked hard on the door and a deep grunt told her to come in. She slipped inside and shut the door behind her before he let out his first, sharp, “No!”

“Jim—”

“No. No no no no.” He shot to his feet and stopped around his desk. 

Joyce pressed her back flat against the door as he reached for the knob. She dug her heels into the carpet, “Hold on! I just want to talk!”

He growled, “I’d have thought not calling you back would have been a clear enough signal.”

“You’re acting like a child!” She shoved the casserole at his chest. “Here. I brought you lunch.”

He refused to take it, instead shaking his head. “You got some nerve, Joyce.”

“Don’t work yourself into a lather, Hop. I’d have apologized already if you’d have ever returned my calls.”

“Sorry, I must not have been home. I was probably still waiting at Enzo’s,” he snapped.

She shouldered past him to set the casserole on his desk. “I’m here to apologize, so will you let me?”

He held his arms out wide, “Of course, Joyce. Enlighten me on how you stood me up to go hang out with “Scott” because you convinced yourself there was some magical emergency.”

“Don’t do that!” She wanted to stamp her foot.

“Do what?”

“Act like I’m crazy! You know I hate when people do that.”

He leaned back against the door, “Well, if the shoe fits…”

This time, she did stamp her foot. “Forget it!” She picked the casserole back up and nearly ran into him since he blocked her path. “Move!”

He deflated a little, “Wait. Joyce.”

She blew her bangs out of her eyes. “No, Hop. I said I was sorry. I can’t change what I did. I came here to apologize and—”

“And I accept,” interrupted. “I accept. Just stop looking at me like I kicked a puppy.”

She shifted her weight, “You won’t hold it against me?”

He let out a curse and rubbed the back of his neck. “I’ll try my hardest not to. But damnit, Joyce, it hurt being stood up like that.”

“I didn’t mean to embarrass you, Hop.”

“I don’t care what people think of me. I care what you do. And when you didn’t show up, I thought you didn’t feel the same.”

She worried her bottom lip with her teeth. “Well I do.”

“Are you sure? Because so far, it doesn’t feel like—”

She set the casserole down on the corner of the desk and marched up to him. Getting up on her tip toes, she looped her arms around his neck and pressed up to land her mouth firmly on his. 

That shut Hop up. 

The kiss lasted only a moment but was long enough to prove her point. Hopper’s big hands moved from her waist, up to her shoulders, setting her gently back on her heels. His eyes searched hers. “Are you sure about this? Because if you’re not, you should back out now before—”

Joyce yanked Hopper down by his shirt collar and intercepted his lips with her own. This kiss lasted much longer than a moment.

When they broke apart, Joyce was smiling. “I’m positive, Hop. I’ll never choose magnets over you again.”

“You better not. I love you, Joyce.”

She wrapped her arms around his broad chest and listened to the thrum of his heart. “I love you too.”


End file.
